Resource for Written and Communicative English

Terrorism is the act of creating chaos and anarchy in the society by a group of people with some vested interests. They often acquire sophisticated arms and hide in inaccessible areas.

The terrorists kill innocent people, loot valuables, damage public property and keep people as hostage for money. They often try to justify their misdeeds as something done for the benefit of a community or the society. Whatever be the reason, their killing of innocent people and children and destruction of public property can never be justifiable. They are just opportunists and violence-mongers. Some internationally operative terrorist groups are Lashkar-e-Toiba, Al Qaeda, Hamas, LTTE, ISIS etc.

It is noticed that terrorist groups are nurtured by governments or a community. If we can spread awareness among the common people about the ill-effects of terrorism, they may refrain from helping them.

Q.2. Write an article for your school magazine on the uses and abuses of mobile phones.

Ans: The uses and abuses of mobile phones

Mobile phones, also known as cell phones, are a dire necessity now a days. We can not think of a single day without mobile phones.

It has facilitated long-distance conversations. Exchanging information is a matter of seconds only. We can not only talk over mobile phones but also do various other tasks such as internet surfing, taking photos, listening to music, watching videos, playing games etc. It has strengthened the bond of relationships. Mobile phones are mostly inexpensive and handy. These help us in our personal and professional tasks.

Like any other scientific invention, mobile phones have their negative side too. The young generation, especially, misuse them. They keep themselves so much busy over making calls and surfing the internet that they often neglect their primary duties. Besides, researchers have detected that the electromagnetic radiation from the mobile phones may lead to many health hazards. Using mobile phones while driving may distract the driver’s attention and cause accidents.

It is said that too much of everything is bad. We can reap benefits from mobile phones only if we use it moderately.

Ans: Belinda lived in a little white house. The pets possessed by Belinda are Ink, Blink, Mustard and Custard.

Who was Ink? Who was Blink?

Ans: The name of the little black kitten was Ink. The name of the little grey mouse was Blink.

Who was Mustard? Who was Custard?

Ans: The name of the little yellow dog was Mustard. The name of the dragon was Custard.

Briefly describe the physical features of the dragon.

Ans: Custard the dragon looked terrifying. It had big sharp teeth and claws like daggers. Its mouth was like a fireplace and nose was like a chimney. It had scales underneath.

Why did the dragon cry for a nice safe cage?

Ans: The dragon cried for a nice safe cage because it was a cowardly dragon.

Why is the dragon called ‘cowardly dragon’?

Ans: The dragon is called a ‘cowardly dragon’ because it used to cry for a nice safe cage.

“Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful ……” Why?

Ans: Belinda and her pets used to laugh at the dragon for its cowardice. She tickled him to taunt and make fun of him.

How did all the pets and Belinda react when they heard a nasty sound?

Ans: When Belinda and her pets heard a nasty sound, Mustard growled, and all of them looked around. Ink cried “meowch!” and Belinda cried “ooh”.

Describe briefly the pirate.

Ans: The pirate had black bushy beard and a wooden leg. He held pistols in his hands and a sharp cutlass in his teeth. It was clear from his activities that he meant no good.

How did Custard face the pirate?

Ans: Custard faced the pirate boldly. He jumped up, snorted like an engine and clashed his tails like irons in a dungeon. Then, making a clattering and clanking sound and squirming, he attacked the pirate like a robin at a worm. He gobbled the pirate in the end.

How did Custard prove that he was a brave dragon?

Ans: When all the others including Belinda were terrified to see the pirate, Custard jumped up, snorted, clashed his tail and attacked the pirate and gobbled him. In this way, he proved that he was a brave dragon.

Why did Ink and Blink gyrate in glee?

Ans: Ink and Blink gyrated in glee because the pirate that had entered Belinda’s house with pistols and a cutlass was attacked and gobbled by Custard the dragon.

How did Belinda and her pets behave when the pirate had been killed by Custard?

Ans: When the pirate had been killed by Custard, Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him and Ink and Blink gyrated around him.

How did all boast of their false bravery?

Ans: After the pirate had been killed, Mustard boasted that he would have been twice as brave if he had not been confused. Ink and Blink said that they would have been thrice as brave.

Ans: No. The poet actually uses metaphor to show resemblance between the coming of a cat and the fog.

Short Type Questions : Marks : 2/3

How does the poet describe the fog as if it were a living being?

Ans: The poet says that the fog comes ‘on little cat feet’. He also says that the fog ‘sits looking over harbour and city and then moves on’. To show resemblance between the fog and a cat, the poet uses such metaphorical language that the fog is described as if it were a living being.

Name the three things that tell us that the fog is like a cat.

Ans: The three things that tell us that the fog is like a cat are – (i) the fog is said to come on ‘little cat feet’, (ii) it ‘sits looking’, and (iii) It ‘moves on’.

How is the fog like a cat? What poetic device is used by the poet here?

Ans: The fog comes silently just like a cat does. It ‘sits’ i.e. stays looking over the harbour and the city and then ‘moves on’ like a cat.

The poetic device used by the poet here is …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ans: Animals are placid and self-contained. They worry neither about their condition nor about their sins. They are not dissatisfied, respectable, unhappy or demented with the mania of owning things. They show their relations with the poet. So the poet Walt Whitman feels more at home with them.

What quality of the animals mesmerizes the poet?

Ans: The poet is mesmerised with the animals’ qualities such as placidity, self-dependence, complacence and simplicity.

How do the animals act about their condition and duty to God?

Ans: The animals never sweat and whine about their condition. They do not make others sick discussing their duty to God.

How are animals superior to human beings?

Ans: The animals are placid, self-sufficient, complacent and simple. Unlike humans, they do not worry about their condition and sins, nor do they make others sick discussing their duty to God. They are not demented with the mania of owning things. So they are superior to human beings.

What are the ‘tokens’ that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and which the animals have kept for him?

Ans: The ‘tokens’ are of mutual love and understanding that the ancestors of the poet used to share with the animals thousands of years ago. The poet says that they dropped them and the animals kept them.

Mention three things that humans do and animals don’t.

Ans: Humans sweat and whine about their condition; but animals don’t. Humans lie awake at night and weep for their sins; but animals don’t. Humans make each other sick discussing their duty to God, but animals don’t.

“I think I could turn and live with animals,

They are so placid and self-contain’d.

I stand and look at them long and long.”

(a) Name the poet and the poem.

Ans: The name of the poet is Walt Whitman and the poem is “Animals”.

(b) What quality of the animals impressed the poet?

Ans: The qualities of placidity, self-dependence, complacence and simplicity of the animals impressed the poet.

“They do not sweat and whine about their condition

They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins.

They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God”

(a) Who is the ‘they’ referred to here?

Ans: The ‘they’ referred to here are the animals.

(b) Name the things ‘they’ do not do.

Ans: ‘They’ do not worry about their condition or sins. ‘They’ do not make …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Choose the correct meaning of the italicized words from the alternatives given in brackets

(a) He ‘stalks’ in his ………

(to crawl / to walk / lying)

Ans: to crawl.

(b) …………….. be ‘snarling’ around houses.

(walking / an angry sound / sniffing)

Ans: an angry sound.

True or false :

(a) Leslie Norris wrote the poem, ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’. Ans: True.

(b) The tiger after being captured was released again. Ans: False.

(c) The tiger stalks in the jungle. Ans: False.

(d) The tiger lurks in the grass to escape from the sight of the hunters. Ans: False.

(e) The strength of the tiger after being captured lies behind bars. Ans: True.

(f) The tiger hears the last voice at noon. Ans: False.

Who wrote the poem, “A Tiger in the Zoo”?

Ans: Leslie Norris wrote the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo”.

Where does the tiger stalk after being captured?

Ans: The tiger stalks the few steps of his cage after being captured.

What is the emotion shown by the tiger?

Ans: The tiger shows the emotions of apathy and quiet rage.

Where should the tiger be lurking?

Ans: The tiger should be lurking in the shadow of long grass in the jungle.

What animal is ‘he’ going to prey?

Ans: The tiger is going to prey deer.

Where can the tiger see for food?

Ans: The tiger can see for food near the water holes where plump deer pass.

Where should ‘he’ be snarling?

Ans: The tiger should be snarling around houses at the jungle’s edge.

Who is terrorized by the tiger?

Ans: The villagers living at the jungle’s edge are terrorised by the tiger.

Where does ‘his’ strength lie after being locked in a concrete cell?

Ans: The strength of the tiger lies behind bars after being locked in a concrete cell.

When does ‘he’ hear the last voice?

Ans: The tiger hears the last voice at night.

What is the ‘last voice’ heard by the tiger?

Ans: The ‘last voice’ heard by the tiger is the noise of patrolling cars.

Where does ‘he’ stare with his eyes?

Ans: The tiger stares at the brilliant stars in the night sky with his eyes.

Give the rhyming words of the following words – cage, grass, edge, cars

Ans: cage-village, grass-pass, edge-village, cars-stars.

Short Type Questions : Marks : 2/3

Where does the tiger stalk? How is his behaviour?

Ans: The tiger stalks the few steps of his cage.

The tiger ignores visitors while hiding his rage quietly. He shows disinterestedness and silent rage.

Why does the tiger express his rage quietly?

Ans: The tiger expresses his rage quietly because there is nothing he can do from behind the bars of his cage. His strength now lies inside his cage. He is no longer free as he was in the jungle.

What does the poet think where the tiger should be?

Ans: The poet thinks that the tiger should be in the jungle, lurking in the shadow of long grass to prey deer near the water holes. He should also be on the outskirts of the jungle snarling around houses and terrifying villagers.

Cite the reason of the tiger’s sliding through long grass.

Ans: The reason behind the tiger’s sliding through long grass is to catch plump deer that generally pass near the water holes.

How does the tiger make his presence being felt in the village?

Ans: The tiger makes his presence being felt by snarling around houses at the jungle’s edge and by baring his white fangs and claws.

Why is the tiger ignoring the visitors?

Ans: The tiger is ignoring visitors because he is locked in a concrete cell. His strength lies behind the bars of his cage. He is helpless now. He can do nothing to the visitors.

Who hears the last voice and of what?

Ans: The tiger hears the last voice. The ‘last voice’ is the noise made by the patrolling cars.

What is common between the eyes of the tiger and the stars?

Ans: The common thing between the eyes of …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Explanation : (a) If you see a sentence with an “if” in the beginning or middle and a part of that sentence in the Conditional Perfect form, then construct the other part of the sentence in the Past Perfect form, or vice versa.

(b) If you see a sentence with an “if” in the beginning or middle and a part of that sentence in the Conditional Indefinite form, then construct the other part of the sentence in the Simple Past form, or vice versa.

Construction of Past Perfect: S+had+Past Participle form of Main Verb.

Construction of Conditional Indefinite : S+should/would/could/might+Present Tense form of Main Verb.

Construction of Conditional Perfect : S+should/would/could/might+have+Past Participle form of Main Verb.

Examples :

(1) If I (have) enough money, I would build a castle.

Ans: If I had enough money, I would build a castle.

(2) If you came, we (go) for a long drive.

Ans: If you came, we would go for a long drive.

(3) If I (know) his address, I would have contacted him.

Ans: If I had known his address, I would have contacted him.

(4) I would have helped her if I (be) there.

Ans: I would have helped her if I had been there.

(5) If I (be) a bird, I could fly.

Ans: If I were a bird, I could fly.

(6) If it (rain), I shall not go out.

Ans: If it rains, I shall not go out.

(7) You will fail if you (not study).

Ans: You will fail if you do not study.

(8) If we (drink) impure water, we will fall sick.

Ans: If we drink impure water, we will fall sick.

(9) If you work hard, you (pass) the examination.

Ans: If you work hard, you will pass the examination.

(10) If I (can), I would help you.

Ans: If I could, I would help you.

Formula # 7 : (Future Perfect)…….by(+time)/before(+time).

Explanation : If you see “by” or “before” immediately followed by a time expression, then construct the verb in the Future Perfect form.

Construction of Future Perfect : S+shall/will+have+Past Participle form of Main Verb.

Examples :

(1) I (finish) my homework by 10 p.m.

Ans: I shall have finished my homework by 10 p.m.

(2) They (reach) their destination before evening.

Ans: They will have reached their destination before evening.

(3) My father (arrive) by 4 o’clock.

Ans: My father will have arrived by 4 o’clock.

Formula # 8 : (Present Continuous)*…….now/at this moment.

* :- (Simple Present) in the case of Non-Conclusive Verbs.

Explanation : If you see “now” or “at this moment”, make the verb within brackets in the Present Continuous form. But, if the verb is a Non-Conclusive Verb such as “know”, “feel”, “see”, “hear”, “understand” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Formula # 1 : (Simple Present)……everyday/daily/regularly/frequently/often/every(+time)/once a week or month or year etc.

Explanation : If you see words like everyday/daily/regularly/frequently/often/every(+time)/once a week or month or year etc. in a sentence for correction of tense, form the verb within brackets in the Simple Present Tense.

Construction of Simple Present Tense : S+Present Tense form of Main Verb (-s or -es is added in 3rd Person Singular Subject). (Negative form : S+do/does+not+Present form of Main Verb)

Explanation : If you see words like last(+time)/yesterday/ago/back/recently etc. in a sentence where words like since,for,till,until etc are absent, then form the verb in brackets in the Simple Past Tense form.

Construction of Simple Past Tense : S+Past form of Main Verb. (Negative form: S+did+not+Present Tense form of Main Verb)

Examples:

(1) I (see) you last week.

Ans: I saw you last week.

(2) She (not go) to school yesterday.

Ans: She did not go to school yesterday.

(3) They (come) here two days back.

Ans: They came here two days back.

Formula # 3 : It is time/…wish/…as if/…as though…….(Simple Past).

Explanation : If you see a sentence starting with “It is time”/”It’s time” or words or phrases like “wish”, “as if”, “as though” in the middle of the sentence, then construct the verb within brackets in the Simple Past Tense. These words or phrases make the sentence conditional. So “I” is followed by “were” instead of “was”.

Example :

(1) It is time we (go) to bed.

Ans: It is time we went to bed.

(2) I wish I (be) a king.

Ans: I wish I were a king.

(3) She talks as if she (be) the Miss World.

Ans: She talks as if she was the Miss World.

(4) He behaved as though he (know) me.

Ans: He behaved as though he knew me.

Formula # 4 : (Simple Future)……..next(+time)/tomorrow/shortly.

Explanation : If you see words like “next” followed by a time phrase, or “tomorrow” or “shortly”, then construct the verb within brackets in the Simple Future Tense form.

Construction of Simple Future Tense : S+shall/will+Present Tense form of Main Verb.

To express universal truth or habitual action. It may also refer to the future in conditional sentences.

(2) Simple Past

To express an action that was over. It may also be used in conditional sentences.

(3) Simple Future

To express a future event in general. It may also be used conditional sentences.

(4) Present Perfect

To express an action that has been just finished.

(5) Past Perfect

To express an action that had got over before another action. It may also be used in conditional sentences.

(6) Future Perfect

To express an action that will be completely finished before another future action or time.

(7) Present Continuous

To express an action that is now going on. It may be used to express an action that will happen in a short period of time (usually within a month)

(8) Past Continuous

To express an action that was happening in the past.

(9) Future Continuous

To express an action that will be going on in the future.

(10) Present Perfect Continuous

To express an action that started in the past and has been continuing upto the present time.

(11) Past Perfect Continuous

To express an action that had been happening before another action in the past.

We see that the Present Tenses do not always refer to the present time. These may express future time too (See Present Continuous or Simple Present Tense) or conditional statements (referring to an action that did not happen at all, but was possible of happening). Likewise, the Past Tenses may express conditional statements. So, Tenses are not a single time-marker.

You must be wondering what conditional statements are. Here’s how you can identify these: (i) Starts with “It is time”, (ii) There may an “If” in the beginning or in the middle, (iii) There may “as if” or “as though”, (iv) There may be words like “would”, “should”, “could”, “might”. E.g. – If he comes I shall not go. She behaves as if she knew everything. It is time we went to bed. We would have gone out if they had come.

Let us engage in a language game. Here are a few sentences. Try to identify the Tenses from the italicized parts : (answers are at the bottom of this post)